A FACILITY designed to reduce the risk of major chemical incidents has been launched in Wales.

The International Training Centre (ITC) has been officially opened at Cardiff Metropolitan University in a joint venture with the Health Protection Agency, Public Health Wales and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The first training facility of its kind and unique to Wales, the centre will focus on enhancing planning for major incidents.

It will include everything from hazard identification to risk assessment and prioritisation, risk mitigation, emergency planning and response and recovery.

The official launch attracted delegates from around the world and it is hoped the facility will showcase Wales as a beacon of excellence for health protection teaching and training.

The new ITC will form part of the WHO collaborating centre for chemical incidents (WHO-CC), established at the university in 1995 in partnership with the Health Protection Agency.

Activities at the centre include research, training and the delivery of academic and community training programmes.

The ITC will also host a series of teaching and training materials on topical subjects for the global market, in addition to providing the foundation for developing e-learning programmes.

Professor David Russell, head of the WHO-CC, said: “We are delighted to be leading the way in this field and are looking forward to working with our partners to continue to develop best practice at a global level.”